CP3 putting pressure on VDN

It was, and will end up being, one of the more dizzying games of the season. Caron Butler making nine 3-pointers and the Clippers losing. The Hornets, down their two best players, Eric Gordon and Anthony Davis, winning. A career-low four points for Blake Griffin. The Clippers making just one more two-point shot (19) than from behind the arc (18). And New Orleans, a lottery team even at full strength, on the road on the second night of a back-to-back and still getting better bench play than one of the deepest teams in the league.

And afterward things got really good.

Chris Paul, as quoted by Dan Woike of the Orange County Register, said Los Angeles lost to "a less-talented team that was well-coached." Shots fired.

On one hand, Paul may not have intended to run over his own coach, Vinny Del Negro, then back up and run over Del Negro again by complimenting the opposing coach, Monty Williams. Paul may simply have intended to praise his former coach from their days together in New Orleans. It could have been pro-Williams without being anti-Del Negro.

On the other hand, it doesn't matter.

Del Negro is already facing enough much-deserved scrutiny. Now Paul's comment will only increase it. Paul's words will be interpreted by many as the star point guard, in the final season of his contract, putting his coach in a bad light.

With a lot of other teams at other times, a player so much as appearing to pull the chair from under a coach - whether the actual intention or not - could be explained away as over-analyzing a deserved compliment for Williams. But this is about the Clippers in win-now mode yet being unable, again, to harness a championship-hopeful's focus. It is also about Donald T. Sterling.

While a lot of owners ignore popularity contests to guide personnel decisions and go with the opinions of the basketball-ops staff, Sterling has spent decades trying to win the press conference. He famously asks security guards and ushers at the arena, media, fans, anyone, for advice in solving the Problem of the Day. Not because he is making conversation. Because he will make major decisions based on the subsequent approval rating.

Sterling has been known to care more about what his friends think than what his general manager thinks. So Paul stoking the many fans who have been hoping for Del Negro's departure will be read as CP3 saying something along the lines of "If only we were well-coached." Paul didn't have to mean it that way. What matters in the Sterling universe is that it looks that way.

One thing about Del Negro continuing to catch heat, though. If he gets the blame for all performances like last night's - such as those seen in a loss to the Warriors, a loss to the Cavaliers, a loss to the Hawks and a loss to the Hornets - he should get the credit for beating the Spurs twice and the Heat, Lakers and Bulls before the first full month is complete. There has been some good, after all. However Paul meant it.

There is NO excuse for losing this game. Personally, I feel that Vinny isn't the guy to take us into the promised land. I hope he makes me eat crow at years end.

ClipsGForce

11/29/2012 - 03:04 AM PST

Clipper All-Star

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Yes, Vinny did not coach well. But guess what? Who's play the game? It's definitely the players and at the Hornet game I did not see them "bringing it". Players have take some of its fault for it. Also CP3 is just compliment his former coach and not bashing on VDN. If anything, this could be great for VDN to finally a light a fire in his butt to intensified this team to greatness.

Keatonsays

11/29/2012 - 04:54 AM PST

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I need VDN to start putting pressure on CP3 to be more aggressive. We play our best ball when Paul is doing his thing and getting others involved.

BenjaSands

11/29/2012 - 12:09 PM PST

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All I was thinking last night since the Clippers were playing horrible last night too was "This team gave up on Del Negro" ... I was just like Chris Paul was packing it in to get him fired. It seemed like the only reasonable excuse for them sucking. Chris Paul has been off lately and I dont know. If he ends up leaving at the end of the season we can come back to this stretch as the point where we could really tell. Look at his body language and compare it to early on in the season. IT SPEAKS VOLUMES

pageC4

11/29/2012 - 01:50 PM PST

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Well i think one thing is evident about our team. There is absolutely no defense beyond the arc. I see a lot of our players leave their man to try and defend the basket. Then an opposing player inside will kick it out to the player left open beyond the arc and they hit us with a three. I saw this alot against GSW, NOH, Cleveland, and last night as well. I didnt like last nights game because we were doing the same thing, and to be honest i think we escaped with a win only because a lot of those three pointers didnt go in for Minnesota. We need to defend the three or else our fortunes will not change.

Keatonsays

11/29/2012 - 01:59 PM PST

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The Perimeter defense wouldn't be that big of a deal if it wasn't for the fact that we also can't seem to rebound. I'm having a really hard time understanding how BG went from averaging 11+ rebounds to just over 8.

clippermitch

11/29/2012 - 04:38 PM PST

Clipper All-Star

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Hornets killed us with 3s and as soon as the game starts, Minny hits back to back 3s. I was livid!

I was watching the players reaction and none of them were really panicking. I know it was early in the game but come on, they were wide open 3s. Not like it was a bad switch or whatever, they just completely left Malcolm Lee and Josh Howard.

Perimeter defense and rebounding was horrific. I couldn't believe JJ Barea was blowing by Bledsoe too.

And do you guys remember Clippers not getting the rebound on a free throw and Malcolm Lee rebounds and puts it back in for a 4 point possession? Just not sound all around.

bullterrierclipsfan1349

11/29/2012 - 05:34 PM PST

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unfortunately peeps like clippersam will always find a way to twist the article worse than any of the writers of yahoo sports. excelled post clipsgforce

kdawg

11/29/2012 - 08:44 PM PST

Clipper Rookie

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votes: 0

Paid Willie Green way more coing than Reggie Evans wanted? Reggie bailed Clips out on boards and hustle many games last year. VDN cannot make people care and hustle. Evans made VDN a better coach and people would not be complaining as much this year if Reggie was still around.

CP3Heliflopter

11/29/2012 - 08:58 PM PST

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Lol CP3 was complimenting his old coach Monty Williams.... Nothing to do with VDN. Also love the assumptions people are making about CP3 with zero proof.

bullterrierclipsfan1349

11/30/2012 - 01:01 AM PST

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[quote="kdawg"]Paid Willie Green way more coing than Reggie Evans wanted? Reggie bailed Clips out on boards and hustle many games last year. VDN cannot make people care and hustle. Evans made VDN a better coach and people would not be complaining as much this year if Reggie was still around.[/quote

yet willie is ten times the player evans will ever be. he filled in nicely for billups. didnt get mad when would get taken out early. on the other hand, evans would get upset when he was subbed out. evans lack of offensive skill definately cost us when we faced the spurs. he got torched by duncan. then he kept getting fouled and missing ft's throughout the series. yeah, he played great d on zbo, but zbo got sucked into trying to outmuscle reggie. like i mentioned in another thread, turiaf is an upgrade over reggie in all areas, except for rebounding, which he holds his own. at half the price.

toohipcliptoslip

11/30/2012 - 03:58 AM PST

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If you are complimenting your old coach you sat "He did a good job but VDN won it for us' He said VDN almost lost the game for us. Saying that in public is a death sentence. That's something you're supposed to keep in the locker room

Baron ousted Dunleavy, Howard - VanGundy. I'm sure D Williams had something to do with Sloane leaving but I don't know. There was a problem last year when VDN admitted he had problems and the team imploded

ps In another thread BG speaks less than complimentarily about VDN. Is that his two franchise players

Keatonsays

11/30/2012 - 04:17 AM PST

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[quote="bullterrierclipsfan1349"]

Idk man.. Reggie Evans is averaging 16 rpg per 36. I think I'd rather have him over Hollins or Turiaf for that alone.

LobAngelesBlakers

11/30/2012 - 08:10 AM PST

Clipper Starter

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toohipcliptoslip wrote:

CP3Heliflopter wrote:

Lol CP3 was complimenting his old coach Monty Williams.... Nothing to do with VDN. Also love the assumptions people are making about CP3 with zero proof.

If you are complimenting your old coach you sat "He did a good job but VDN won it for us' He said VDN almost lost the game for us. Saying that in public is a death sentence. That's something you're supposed to keep in the locker room

Baron ousted Dunleavy, Howard - VanGundy. I'm sure D Williams had something to do with Sloane leaving but I don't know. There was a problem last year when VDN admitted he had problems and the team imploded

ps In another thread BG speaks less than complimentarily about VDN. Is that his two franchise players

Im sorry, but this is getting a little out of hand, and a little too wishful.